Introduction: The concept of Living Lab in Health and Autonomy (LLSA) is emerging in France since the last decade [1, 2]. By grouping public institutions, private companies, associations, users, the LLSA facilitate designing health solutions, leading to an industrial tailored and efficient service. Depending on the field of activity and depending on its own competences, the LLSA can shape in different way, relying on the ecosystem in which it is implanted.

Method: Starting from the history of the APPROCHE Association, we illustrate an example of organization foreshadowing the advent of the concept of LLSA in our country. Created more than 20 years ago, APPROCHE aims to promote new technologies for disabled and elderly people, and has always developed strong partnerships between companies, researchers, clinicians and representatives of users.

Results: Since 1991, APPROCHE has conducted or implemented more than 15 development/research collaborative projects focusing on technological tools applied to elderly people or people with severe impairments.

Discussion: Based on this interesting experience, the association conducts a thorough reflection on the contribution of social sciences in this research, by promoting co-design approaches taking into account acceptability among technological devices. In the near future, APPROCHE plans to promote new structures labeled " Handicap and New Technologies Plate forms (PHNT)" designed for clinical “end-users centered” expertise and research in the field of new technologies applied to handicapped patients and elderly people. The PHNT, backed by Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Departements, may illustrate a french experiment of LLSA.